Katie

Katie

They had told me to stay away from the girl who lived on 43 Cherry Street. I couldn’t help it. I was curious. I mean who could blame me. Her home was surrounded by a chipped white fence that had god knows what growing all over it. She never had the lights on inside of her house. And every night you could hear some type of wailing moan come from the attic of her home. She did not attend school. In fact, the only time I have ever seen her outside was once last week.

It was a beautiful, windswept September morning and we had just moved in the week before. I saw her standing in her backyard; barefoot and dusty. She seemed like she was in a hurry. She had long mangled brown hair that stopped at her lower back. She wore a long white shirt with blue jeans that were big around the waist. Her arms and legs shivered when she walked. They were small. Bony. And frail. Her skin looked as if it had never seen sunlight. It was untouched. She had freckles that spotted her narrow face. She looked about 16. The girl was outside planting what seemed like a tree. I couldn’t make out what kind it was, but it looked like just an ordinary tree. Her face was smothered with dirt. Her name is Katie. She looked at me with her pale green eyes. They had told me to stay away from the girl who lived on 43 Cherry Street.


My Voices

I was in my room. I had closed the windows like they said. The voices had stopped for a few minutes and then they started speaking to me again and I held my heart wondering why it had to have been me but there was no way to escape this reality I am living in. Go downstairs. They said. Get the shovel from the garage. They said. DO NOT SPEAK TO ANYBODY. They said. Eyes forward. They said. Go into the backyard. They said. Why? I said. There was no response. Why?! I said just a little bit louder so I would not disturb the voices but only to ask them with a little more urgency. Go into the backyard. They said. I continued walking. Dig a hole in the backyard where the grass meets the dirt around the bed of flowers. They said. I walked. I hesitated. Why? I stammered. Why? Why?! Why?!! I cried. I tried to walk back into the house. My feet were stuck to the ground. No. They said. Be a good girl. They said. Do not disappoint me. They said. I turned towards the dirt patch. I was on my knees. I was digging. You are happy. They told me. Plant the tree your mother bought. They said. I ran inside the house and grabbed the sapling that was on the kitchen counter. I brought it outside where I began to place the tree in the hole. The sunlight is so nice. I tell the voices. They don’t respond. Thank you. I said. Still no response. I finished planting the tree and stood up with my arms outstretched towards the sun. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I said. No response again. I began to feel my mouth curving into a smile. I ran my hand through my once beautiful hair. I am free. I said.


That’s Not My Friend

The start of sixth grade is always hard. New teachers. New kids. More homework. Less social time. I stared at my binder that had “Charlie” written on the front of it. I was excited for a new year. I put my things into my locker. We have had the same lockers since third grade, and it is nice to see something familiar. My locker is next the my best friend’s locker. Katie Cole. Katie Cole has been my best friend since first grade. We became friends instantly when we realized we had the same love for adventure and the color red. Every summer we went on adventures together. One summer we explored Long Run Creek, and we founds bugs, bugs, and more bugs. Another summer we climbed trees in the woods right by my house. This past summer was the summer that I got to pick where we wanted to explore. I wanted to go check out the forest right across the street from Katie’s house. She was hesitant. She told me it creeped her out, and apparently there is a creepy old abandoned house. We’ve never been afraid of anything have we? I reassured her. She nodded in agreement and we decided we would go the next morning.

Summer was almost over, and we still needed to have a good story to tell. Our other friends love hearing me and Katie’s stories. The next morning we were all ready. Katie had on her green rock climbing shirt that matched her dark green eyes, and I had on my blue fishing shirt from when my dad took me fishing the previous summer. We brought water just in case we needed it, and walkie-talkies, of course. We were walking down the dirt path and I could hear Katie breathing deeply behind me. You okay? I asked. Yeah I’m fine. Let’s just find that house quickly. She said. I nodded and continued down the path for about another hour or so, when in the distance I saw a small little home. That must be it! I screamed, because Katie was too far behind me to hear. I’m coming. She said. We stood on the porch of the house. It was wooden, and the paint was barely there, but you could see some parts of it that used to be white. The windows were broken, and when we entered we heard tiny creatures scurrying on the dusty floorboards. We turned on our flashlights that I remembered to bring, and I told Katie we should split up. She gave me a look that I have never seen on her before. It was a mix of fear, and annoyance. I ignored it and continued upstairs. I walked into a dusty room that was hard to breathe in. I turned on my walkie-talkie. Katie, you there? You gotta come check it out up here. I have never seen so much dust in my life. I breathed into the device. Yeah one sec. There’s this really cool jewelry box down here. I want to see what’s- She was cut off. Katie? I heard a crash downstairs, and the wind had opened the doors in the house. I ran downstairs, frightened. I saw Katie lying on the floor and I rushed over to her. I picked her up and sat her upright in a chair. Katie what happened? Are you okay? I cried. She opened her eyes that were now a pale green color. She looked at me and stood up. I’m fine. I have to go. She said in a monotone voice that was haunting. She looked at me one last time and walked out the door to the house and left me alone. I don’t know why I didn’t follow her. Something told me I shouldn’t.

I didn’t see Katie the rest of the summer. I expected to see her at school today, but so far there was no sign of her. I finished my first day of sixth grade without my best friend. She didn’t come to school the next day either. I couldn’t help but think I did something to make this happen. Weeks turned into months and still no sign of Katie. The start of sixth grade is always hard. New teachers. New kids. More homework. Less social time. Less Katie.

~ Olivia T.